LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) -
UNLV sophomore punter Logan Yunker (Las Vegas) has been named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

The graduate of Arbor View High School and walk-on transfer from Nevada, Reno is the first Rebel to earn the special teams award since return man Deante Purvis in 2011. In addition, Yunker is the first UNLV punter to earn the MW award since Gary Cook a decade ago. Since the league's inception in 1999, Cook won the honor twice (2001 and 2003) while P/PK Ray Cheetany earned the nod during the 2000 season.

Yunker, who currently tops the conference and ranks 11th in the nation with an average of 45.6 yards per attempt, battled through a windy night at Sam Boyd Stadium to help his team defeat Western Illinois 38-7.

Yunker's six punts included kicks of 57, 51, 47 and 46 yards en route to an average of 44.7. Two of his punts landed inside the WIU 20-yard line and none went for touchbacks. On all three of his first-half attempts, the Leathernecks did not pick up a first down after taking over possession. One of Yunker's shorter punts was actually his best of the night as he placed it from UNLV's 39-yard line to the WIU three-yard line where it went out of bounds.